Joe Makhanzawas born in Giyani, South Africa. He has a BMusDegree as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Arts Marketing from Wits

Previous acclaimed performances

The name “Sankofa” is an Akan (Ghanaian vernacular) word that means,
“We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we
understand why and how we came to be who we are today”. The band opted
to use the name because it believes that one must return to the past in
order to move forward. Musical knowledge of the past must be revisited
in order to inform the future of musical ideas.

The band was started in 2005, by a dedicated and experienced team of
Wits University students, who enrolled at the Wits School of Arts
(WSOA). This led to Sankofa becoming the band that it has evolved into
today, with a membership comprising of seven professional musicians,
pursuing musical development continuously.

amaAmbush will be running a Marimba Course from the 13 July - 19 July 2009. This course is open to any person of any age who would like to learn to play the African marimba and djembe drum. Prior music instruction is not required to play these energising African instruments. The full Marimba Course will also train participants to be Marimba Teachers.

Join us for the first ever Cape Town Marimba Festival.

This high energy event takes place at the Baxter Concert hall on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th May, with booking through Computicket.

Local marimba organisation, amaAmbush, has received an award for Outstanding Achievement of Youth in Arts and Culture from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport at a ceremony in Cape Town in early December.